Destination Santa Fe Opera
35 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsYour destination for exclusive conversations with the people behind the stories, music, and splendor onstage at the Santa Fe Opera.
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Episodes
Special Announcement: Help us win an award!
September 23, 2023 00:32 - 4 minutes - 4.15 MBHave you ever wondered what it takes to create a new opera? Season 5 of Key Change, from the Santa Fe Opera Department of Community Engagement, is coming soon and we’d LOVE for you to help us celebrate its 5th anniversary. We just learned that Key Change is a FINALIST in the Signal Awards for the podcasting industry! We are up for 2 different awards: Best Music Show for the 4th season; and Best Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Episode for “Telling Hard Truths”, an episode following t...
Life Skills, Music Making, and Billy Bad the Billionaire: Youth Opera Programs with Amy Owens and Charles Gamble
October 22, 2022 01:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBIt’s encore time! After a brief hiatus to appreciate a triumphant 65th summer of opera in the desert, Destination Santa Fe Opera returns with one last conversation to close out this podcast season. Host Jane Trembley chats with Charles Gamble, SFO’s newly appointed Director of School Programs, and Amy Owens, newly appointed Director Designate of the Young Voices Program about how opera’s inclusive, collaborative storytelling can boost self-esteem and confidence in young people. Charles and...
Getting to the Next Phase in Your Opera Career featuring Technical Apprentice Khadija Ann Tarver and Apprentice Singer Thomas Cilluffo
August 20, 2022 01:00 - 39 minutes - 36.7 MBSanta Fe Opera plays host to more than peerless productions. On stage and off, SFO apprentices spend the season learning by doing at one of the most celebrated and welcoming training grounds in the world. Host Jane Trembley chats with technical apprentice Khadija Ann Tarver and apprentice singer Thomas Cilluffo about their respective programs, what advice the pair have for aspiring apprentices, and their plans beyond Santa Fe. “I was coming in open-minded since I didn't have a traditional...
Kangmin Justin Kim Transports Us Through Time and Culture with M. Butterfly
July 30, 2022 01:00 - 48 minutes - 44.9 MBBad romances don’t come much better than the complicated relationship at the heart of M. Butterfly. Host Jane Trembley talks fantasy versus reality with countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim before his Santa Fe Opera and U.S. mainstage debut as Song Liling in this operatic world premiere. The pair also discuss the psychology behind Justin's character, transitioning from musical theater to opera, and building representation in the classical music community. “There are a lot of dichotomies in th...
Jamie Barton on Epic Singing, Queer Characters, and the Heart and Complication in Tristan und Isolde
July 16, 2022 01:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBThere’s no such thing as a “little” Wagner. Host Jane Trembley catches up with internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton in anticipation of the epic Santa Fe Opera debut of Tristan und Isolde. The pair chat about the thrill of performing this legendary tale of love and betrayal––and why Richard Wagner’s music is totally worth leaving the house for! Jamie also discusses interpreting her characters through a queer lens and transcending the score to create meaningful art. “I lov...
Larger Than Life: Verdi’s Falstaff with Quinn Kelsey
July 02, 2022 01:00 - 35 minutes - 33.1 MBWho’ll serve the infamous jolly knight his just desserts? The list of candidates is long, and their scheme is hilarious. All will be revealed when Falstaff, Giuseppe Verdi’s classic farce, arrives on the Santa Fe Opera stage. Host Jane Trembley speaks with Hawai’i native Quinn Kelsey about embodying the larger-than-life titular character and learns why comedy is more challenging to play than tragedy. Quinn also answers the million-dollar question: what would the celebrated Verdi baritone a...
A Fresh Take on The Barber of Seville with Apprentice Alumni Emily Fons and Jack Swanson
June 25, 2022 01:00 - 43 minutes - 40.4 MBThere’s a reason why The Barber of Seville remains one of the most popular operas in the world. Gioachino Rossini’s comedic masterpiece never fails to delight audiences with its lively music, whirlwind romance, and inevitable happy ending. Host Jane Trembley speaks with mezzo-soprano Emily Fons and tenor Jack Swanson about their approach to providing a fresh take on one of opera’s most familiar tales. The pair also give advice to anyone encountering The Barber of Seville for the first ti...
Isabel Leonard on Interpreting the Iconic Role of Carmen
June 18, 2022 01:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBIs there a more provocative or iconic character in all of opera than Carmen? This free-spirited, defiant factory worker reigns supreme as the original difficult woman––in the best possible way. Host Jane Trembley chats with Isabel Leonard as she gets set to play the titular diva in Bizet’s Carmen to open Santa Fe Opera’s 2022 season. The mezzo-soprano discusses her physical and emotional preparations for the role, how her Argentine-American heritage has informed her musical intuition, and ...
Creating New Worlds with Costume Director Blair Gulledge and Properties Director Eileen Garcia
May 21, 2022 01:00 - 52 minutes - 48.7 MBBringing fantastical worlds to the Santa Fe Opera stage requires creativity, communication, and compassion. Host Jane Trembley chats with Costume Director Blair Gulledge and Properties Director Eileen Garcia about the intense year-round effort that goes into planning and implementing the designs for each season. She also learns how these two department heads collaborate with one another and their commitment to providing a kinder, more supportive working environment for their teams, colleague...
Making Magic and Managing Mayhem Backstage with Mike Ortiz, Technical Director and Tracy Armagost, Production & Recruiting Coordinator
May 07, 2022 01:00 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBFlash floods. Supply chain issues. Safety briefings. Would you believe this is opera? Host Jane Trembley discovers that only at Santa Fe Opera does behind-the-scenes excitement rival onstage drama. She chats with Production & Recruiting Coordinator Tracy Armagost and Technical Director Mike Ortiz, the supportive, creative pair behind SFO backstage team. Tracy and Mike share their long histories with the opera, some of the magical (and nerve wracking!) moments they’ve helped bring to the s...
More voices at the table: Community engagement and opera with Kyle Gray
April 23, 2022 01:00 - 39 minutes - 35.9 MBLook up the definition for community engagement, and you'll find lots of fantastic terms––Strategic! Interaction! Ally! But the word that tops them all is "relationship." Host Jane Trembley chats with Kyle Gray, Santa Fe Opera's Manager of Community Relations and Government Affairs, about how he helps foster meaningful connections between SFO and government agencies, fellow arts organizations, volunteers, and Indigenous communities. The pair also explore SFO's comprehensive DEIA initiativ...
More Voices at the Table: Community Engagement and Opera with Kyle Gray
April 23, 2022 01:00 - 39 minutes - 35.9 MBLook up the definition for community engagement, and you'll find lots of fantastic terms––Strategic! Interaction! Ally! But the word that tops them all is "relationship." Host Jane Trembley chats with Kyle Gray, Santa Fe Opera's Manager of Community Relations and Government Affairs, about how he helps foster meaningful connections between SFO and government agencies, fellow arts organizations, volunteers, and Indigenous communities. The pair also explore SFO's comprehensive DEIA initiativ...
Our opera oasis under the stars
April 14, 2022 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.92 MBDestination Santa Fe Opera welcomes you back for our 2022 season with our host, Jane Trembley. We're ready to take on 2022 with five brand new productions, including an international co-production a company premiere, and a world premiere. You could say that we're a little excited. New episodes of the podcast are coming to you all spring and summer long featuring the artists, singers, technicians, and many opera professionals working behind the scenes to bring you the stories, music an...
Art that moves people to action with Santa Fe Opera Chief Artistic Officer David Lomelí
November 06, 2021 01:02 - 57 minutes - 53.3 MBWhat has all the compelling drama of a marathon finish line and the adrenaline rush of a Formula One championship? Santa Fe Opera’s 2022 Season, of course! Or so says Jane’s guest. She sits down with Chief Artistic Officer David Lomelí to learn more about the incredible titles and talents set to grace the Santa Fe Opera stage next summer. The pair also charts David’s path from his hometown in Mexico to the rarified stages of Europe and, finally, to his dream job here in the desert, where h...
Adventures on stage and behind the scenes with Technical Apprentices Larry Ortiz & Caitlynn Sandoval
August 21, 2021 00:45 - 39 minutes - 36 MBSingers aren’t the only apprentices who are put through their paces at the Santa Fe Opera. Theater technicians also participate in an intermediate-to-advanced training program that offers world-class instruction and practical experience in stage operations, properties, audio & video, costumes, production/music services, makeup and wig construction, stage lighting, and scenic art. Jane chats with Stage Crew Apprentice Larry Ortiz and Properties Run Crew Apprentice Caitlynn Sandoval about th...
Audition videos, cover roles, and fight scenes with Apprentice Singers Teresa Perrotta & Allen Michael Jones
August 14, 2021 00:45 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBAudiences and staff aren’t the only ones excited for opera’s return to the desert this season. Jane Trembley chats with soprano Teresa Perrotta and bass Allen Michael Jones, two performers in the 2021 Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers. Teresa and Allen Michael take listeners inside this “summer camp” for singers which is internationally recognized as one of the first, and most exceptional programs of its kind. They share stories about the audition process, performance opportuni...
Take your time and other advice for young singers from soprano Angel Blue
August 07, 2021 00:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBSoprano Angel Blue makes her Santa Fe Opera debut in concert Saturday, August 7, 2021. Jane caught a spare moment with Angel upon her arrival in Santa Fe to learn more about who she is on stage, off stage, and in the practice room. Angel also shares strong opinions and guidance for young singers, who may fall into the comparison trap with “the greats” who’ve come before them. Angel’s Bio: Angel Blue has emerged in recent seasons as one of the most important sopranos before the public...
Welcoming you back to the Santa Fe Opera with Audience Services Director Julie Wheeler
July 10, 2021 00:45 - 30 minutes - 28 MBWelcoming opera-lovers back to the Santa Fe Opera this summer requires a massive behind-the-scenes effort, much of which is coordinated by the front-of-house team. Jane Trembley talks preparations and protocols with Julie Wheeler, the Santa Fe Opera’s audience services director. Their conversation sheds light (and a few tears) on the grace, gratitude, and overwhelming emotions accompanying this season’s return to the desert stage. The 2021 Season comes with a host of new challenges. Few k...
From Broadway to open-air opera with dancer, actor & choreographer Reed Luplau
June 26, 2021 00:45 - 39 minutes - 36.1 MBMagic, mischief, and mismatched lovers are at cross purposes when the Santa Fe Opera premieres one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. Choreographer and dancer Reed Luplau says there’s no better setting for A Midsummer Night’s Dream than our glorious desert stage. Host Jane Trembley learns more about Reed’s fascinating journey from his mother’s dance studio on Australia’s West Coast to some of the world’s biggest venues. Reed also shares insight into his preparations for playing Puck,...
Rising star Avery Amereau on contralto rep, advice for young singers, and Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin”
June 19, 2021 00:45 - 42 minutes - 39.6 MBRising star Avery Amereau lends her lush contralto voice in the role of Olga in the Santa Fe Opera’s new production of Eugene Onegin, Alexander Pushkin’s story of rakes and romantic mistakes set to glorious music by Tchaikovsky. While this marks the singer’s Santa Fe Opera debut, Avery is well acquainted with Olga and New Mexico’s great chile debate. Host Jane Trembley chats with her about the perks of possessing an authentic contralto voice, the singer’s less than traditional introduction...
Gender Identity, American Opera, and a World Premiere with Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo
June 12, 2021 01:00 - 42 minutes - 39.5 MBCelebrated countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo will channel Dracula and Dionysus when he makes his Santa Fe Opera debut this season in the world premiere of The Lord of Cries. Host (and uber fan-girl) Jane Trembley chats with Anthony about what it’s like having a lead role crafted especially for him by composer John Corigliano, with libretto by Mark Adamo. The pair also discuss why this heart-stopping production is the perfect opera with which to entice audiences back to the Crosby Theatre....
Gender identity, American opera, and a world premiere with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo
June 12, 2021 01:00 - 42 minutes - 39.5 MBCelebrated countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo will channel Dracula and Dionysus when he makes his Santa Fe Opera debut this season in the world premiere of The Lord of Cries. Host (and uber fan-girl) Jane Trembley chats with Anthony about what it’s like having a lead role crafted especially for him by composer John Corigliano, with libretto by Mark Adamo. The pair also discuss why this heart-stopping production is the perfect opera with which to entice audiences back to the Crosby Theatre....
Shattering glass and other opera singer stories with Colombian-American soprano Vanessa Vasquez
June 05, 2021 01:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBEven folks who’ve never seen a performance of The Marriage of Figaro will instantly recognize its famous overture from numerous films, commercials and cartoons. Jane Trembley talks with Colombian-American soprano Vanessa Vasquez about her upcoming turn as Countess Almaviva in the Santa Fe Opera’s 2021 Season production of Mozart’s beloved romantic comedy. Vanessa also gives listeners a glimpse into an opera singer’s life during lockdown, including the silver linings that have kept her san...
Pre-Professional Training, Virtual Lessons & the Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera with Kathleen Clawson & John Daugherty
May 22, 2021 01:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBA great voice isn’t the only requirement for admission into the Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera program. Nor is vocal technique the program’s sole focus. Host Jane Trembly chats with program director Kathleen Clawson and John Daugherty, a graduate of the program’s inaugural class, and now Assistant Director of Voice and Opera Program Director at the University of North Florida. They discuss the program’s early days, why such training matters, and how a pivot to virtual learning has expa...
Pre-professional training, virtual lessons & the young voices of the Santa Fe Opera with Kathleen Clawson & John Daugherty
May 22, 2021 01:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBA great voice isn’t the only requirement for admission into the Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera program. Nor is vocal technique the program’s sole focus. Host Jane Trembly chats with program director Kathleen Clawson and John Daugherty, a graduate of the program’s inaugural class, and now Assistant Director of Voice and Opera Program Director at the University of North Florida. They discuss the program’s early days, why such training matters, and how a pivot to virtual learning has expa...
Health, Safety, and a Successful Reopening with Chelsea Antrim Dennis, Director of Production
May 08, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBWhat does it take to remain cool as cucumber water amid the intense technical demands of the world’s grandest art form? Jane dishes about the drama with guest Chelsea Antrim Dennis, Santa Fe Opera’s Director of Production. Trap door danger! Raging storms! Mid-performance fainting! Chelsea has navigated a few professional storms in her 16 seasons with SFO. Her responsibilities aren’t limited to the action on stage; Chelsea is known as the voice of the Santa Fe Opera (her dulcet tones grace...
Health, safety, and a successful reopening with Chelsea Antrim Dennis, Director of Production
May 08, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBWhat does it take to remain cool as cucumber water amid the intense technical demands of the world’s grandest art form? Jane dishes about the drama with guest Chelsea Antrim Dennis, Santa Fe Opera’s Director of Production. Trap door danger! Raging storms! Mid-performance fainting! Chelsea has navigated a few professional storms in her 16 seasons with SFO. Her responsibilities aren’t limited to the action on stage; Chelsea is known as the voice of the Santa Fe Opera (her dulcet tones grace...
Setting the bar high with Santa Fe Opera General Director Robert K. Meya
April 24, 2021 01:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBThe Santa Fe Opera is back! Actually, SFO never went away (hello, digital performances, and nice to meet you, TikTok!) It’ll take more than a pandemic to knock a 60-something legend off its game. Still, 2020 served this iconic organization its share of questions to consider. How does a world-class company safely reintroduce audiences to its artistry (and vice versa)? Which “lockdown lessons” does it carry forward? And what conversations should it advance - both onstage and off - in suppor...
Welcome to Destination Santa Fe Opera
April 21, 2021 21:06 - 2 minutes - 2.5 MBWelcome to Destination Santa Fe Opera, a fresh take on our former “Beyond the Opera” podcast with even more episodes, a new host, and a deep dive into what’s happening on stage AND behind the scenes. Meet your host, Jane Trembley, an arts administrator and podcast host by day, opera singer and House Manager at Santa Fe Opera by night... But not on the same nights. New episodes of the podcast are coming to you all spring and summer long featuring the artists, singers, technicians, and man...
Renee Fleming - Portraying Georgia O'Keeffe, singing and neuroscience, and arts education advocacy
August 08, 2019 18:25 - 16 minutes - 38.3 MBFor opera lovers, today's guest needs no introduction. Renée Fleming is one of the most celebrated and cherished singers worldwide. In the midst of a whirlwind tour, Renée had a moment to chat with dramaturg Cori Ellison about her Santa Fe Opera debut in a concert featuring Letters from Georgia by Kevin Puts and Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) of Richard Strauss. Renée shares a peek inside her preparation and collaborative process for singing the role of New Mexico icon artist Geo...
The Thirteenth Child - A fairytale collaboration with first time librettists Becky & David Starobin
July 26, 2019 11:00 - 38 minutes - 87.9 MBBeloved musicians and founders of Bridge Records, Becky and David Starobin make their debut as librettists in collaboration with composer Poul Ruders on this brand new fairytale thriller opera adapted from "The Twelve Brothers" by the Brothers Grimm. Cori digs deep with Becky and David into the collaborative process, the necessary changes to the source material to make it stage worthy, and addressing universal themes of family, love and loss. We also hear how the Bridge Records recording...
Jenufa - Preparing for new roles and the evolution of a career with singing actress Patricia Racette
July 19, 2019 11:00 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBAll eyes in the village are on Jenufa. Her fiancé sees only a trophy wife. Her rejected suitor sees a chance to avenge the most cutting wrongs in his past. Her righteous stepmother sees her own life’s tragedy about to play out again for her child. The results are two unspeakable crimes which lead to the opera’s true theme—that the wounds of troubled lives can be assuaged through acceptance, forgiveness, and hope. Patricia Racette returns to the Santa Fe Opera for her 10th role on our stage...
Cosi fan tutte - Mythic characters, implausible plots, and the art of being watched with stage director R.B. Schlather
July 12, 2019 04:13 - 38 minutes - 88.1 MBWhat makes the seemingly ridiculous plot of Così fan tutte such a compelling study of the duality of human nature that we revisit time and again? How do we understand the play of gender norms and societal pressure through a contemporary lens? And what's a director to do about a plot point that revolves around mustaches? R.B. Schlather is one of the most creative and exciting new opera directors on the scene in America, with a strong emphasis on the visual aspect of performance. He rec...
The Pearl Fishers - Strong Women's Roles in Opera with director Shawna Lucey & soprano Corinne Winters
June 28, 2019 19:59 - 27 minutes - 63.1 MBA conversation from the "feminine perspective" about the often underestimated opera by Georges Bizet, The Pearl Fishers, reveals insights into key themes of power dynamics, the intrinsic conflict of character Leïla, and what it means to be a leader in this day and age. Director Shawna Lucey, soprano Corinne Winters, and host Kathleen Clawson give us a fresh take on the 2019 revival of our stunning 2012 production, which was called “The best of this summer’s season,” by The Wall Street Jour...
La Boheme - From Apprentice Opera Singer to Main Stage Artist with Zachary Nelson as Marcello
June 26, 2019 17:36 - 25 minutes - 59.2 MBBaritone Zachary Nelson started his professional opera singing career as an apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera, following college and swiftly made his way onto the main stage in what to him felt like a dream come true. In the 2019 season, he's singing Marcello in the Santa Fe Opera's new production of Puccini's La bohème. Kathleen Clawson talks with Zach about all things La bohème, his whirlwind stint in Germany, and what it's like to revive a role he's done in multiple productions. Fol...